At what degrees do potatoes freeze on the balcony? Freezing of potatoes during storage

Vegetable growing » Potatoes

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Kira Stoletova

Potatoes are one of the most popular agricultural products. Its main advantage is its keeping quality, thanks to which the tubers can be eaten in winter. The freezing temperature of potatoes is considered an integral factor in choosing a storage location.

Freezing point of potatoes

Most often, this vegetable crop is kept in cellars or basements. However, these places also require preliminary preparation, since the taste of the tubers depends on this.

At what degrees do potatoes freeze on the balcony? Freezing of potatoes during storage

Both storing potatoes in a cellar and storing potatoes in a basement involves protecting the crop from freezing.
The question of at what temperature do potatoes freeze has been discussed more than once on various Internet forums, and many articles have been written about this. Any temperature below zero, or even zero, is considered negative. At minus 1, partial freezing occurs, and at 3–4 degrees below zero, the potatoes freeze. Even if you store potatoes in the cellar, there is a possibility that frost will reach there. If the cellar or basement is not insulated, and the harvest has not yet been dug up, it’s time to take care of insulation.

At the same time, if the storage facility is located outside the house, then you can build additional protection from frost, snowfall and winds - a canopy or roof. The descent hatch is also insulated with foam plastic or other insulating material.

But when creating the best storage conditions, you should not be too zealous. Otherwise, the temperature of the initial freezing of potatoes will smoothly develop into the temperature of its germination. And sprouts begin to appear already at 4 degrees.

When storing potatoes on an unheated balcony or in a garage, there is often a danger of vegetables freezing. The condition of the tubers depends on the air temperature in the storage:

• at temperatures from 2 to 5 °C, potatoes retain their taste; at higher temperatures, they germinate prematurely and begin to wither;
• from 0 to 1 °C, short-term decreases to -1 °C, starch begins to break down, and over time a sweet taste appears;
• potatoes freeze at a temperature of -1.7 °C and below, acquiring a pronounced sweet taste. As the temperature rises, frozen tubers begin to rot; those intended for planting lose their viability.

What to do with frozen potatoes

How many degrees of frost can potatoes withstand in the ground? If the potatoes managed to freeze in the ground due to the first frost (down to -4°C), but did not stay in the soil for more than 14 hours, they are dug up as quickly as possible.

Before storage, vegetables are dried in a ventilated area. Periodically, the bins are inspected for spoiled specimens. But you cannot constantly mix the laid layers.

Lowering the temperature to -10°C is dangerous for the crop - it is disposed of, since it will completely rot during storage. The product is not used in cooking; the formation of toxic substances begins inside the tubers.

What temperature can potatoes withstand in the ground?

I planted potatoes as seedlings, now I’m thinking - when should I plant them at the dacha? You can protect from frost, and covering such a quantity is not a problem. I know about planting potatoes - when the birch tree is covered with a “green haze”. What other signs? I found a hint on the temperature on the Internet. The requirements of the potato plant to environmental conditions at different periods of life are not the same. In addition, different plant organs exhibit different reactions to the same factor. For example, a temperature of 12 degrees significantly inhibits plant growth, but it has a beneficial effect on tuber formation. Potato plants develop better in cool summer conditions. The buds of the eyes awaken at 3-6 degrees. Tubers begin to germinate intensively at soil temperatures of 7-12 degrees, but this process occurs faster at 20 degrees. Potato roots form at temperatures not lower than 7 degrees, so you can start planting them only when the soil at a depth of 10-14 centimeters warms up to 7-8 degrees. For mass emergence of seedlings, the optimal air temperature is within 15-25 degrees. At very low and very high temperatures, germination rates slow down. At a temperature of 3-5 degrees, in some potato varieties, growth is so weakened that the buds on the tubers begin to develop without the formation of a root system. At temperatures below 3-5 and above 31-35 degrees, their growth and development are suspended, and the presence of potato tubers for several days at a soil temperature of 1-1.5 degrees or 35-40 degrees usually leads to severe damage to the buds and tubers, from which it is already difficult to obtain normal, well-developing plants. Potato seedlings require cool, moist weather to develop. At this time, tender young plants are equally sensitive to both cold and heat and dry winds. Potato tops begin to grow at an air temperature of about 5-6 degrees, and their maximum growth occurs in moderately moist soil and 17-22 degrees. At temperatures above 42-45 degrees, tops growth stops, and at 50 degrees the plant withers and may die. The tops are also sensitive to low temperatures. When there is frost minus 1 - 1.5 degrees, the plants turn black and die. Therefore, when growing early potatoes, the choice of site is of great importance. Thus, in low areas, where cold air stagnates in the morning, seedlings are more often damaged by frost than in higher areas. The most favorable temperature for potato flowering is 18-21 degrees. Hotter weather causes the flowers and buds to drop. Typically, at a temperature of 27-29 degrees, flowering stops. The flowers themselves have no economic significance. The presence or absence of flowers on potato plants does not affect its yield. Therefore, there is no point in carrying out a lot of manual work to remove flowers, which is practiced by some potato growers. (This was confirmed by the experiments of Oleg Telepov, a famous potato grower). For most potato varieties, the most favorable soil temperature for tuberization is 15-19 degrees, which corresponds to an air temperature of 21-25 degrees . At soil temperatures below 6 and above 23 degrees, tuber growth decreases sharply, and at 26-29 degrees it stops. High temperatures combined with long daylight hours cause the transformation of stolons into above-ground shoots and the growth of tubers. On the other hand, heat and drought promote the formation of a large number of stolons and their branching, resulting in an increase in the number of small tubers. If during the period of formation and growth of tubers there is prolonged hot weather (30-40°C), this causes “ecological” degeneration of the potato. It consists of metabolic disorders and a sharp decrease in the yield and seed qualities of tubers. During hot and dry periods, the growth of young tubers stops; apical eyes sprout on them, which form sprouts and secondary tubers at soil temperatures above 20-30 degrees. At temperatures above 29 degrees, such sprouts develop into above-ground stems, and then form their own root system and above-ground mass. This overgrowth of tubers significantly reduces the yield and its quality.

Critical temperature for potatoes. At what degrees do potatoes freeze?

Potatoes are the “second bread”. In times of famine, it has come to the rescue of the Russian people more than once since the time of Peter I. This root vegetable is affordable for most of the year, and can always be bought at any grocery store.

Many Russians prefer to grow their own potatoes, harvest the crops and store them in wooden boxes in the basement of the garage. This is what we always did in the 90s and early 2000s. At that time, the older generation of our family had several vegetable gardens, and we came to help them, in particular, to grow potatoes.

Now I don’t even remember how many were collected, it seems to me, 15-18 bags on average. It took a long time for everyone. And now the plot is small, we’ll plant a third of an acre at best, and we pamper ourselves from mid-July to September.

Potatoes are usually stored without any problems. The harvested crop may suffer from increased humidity and dampness, sunlight, strong increases, decreases and sudden changes in temperature.

Optimal for long-term storage is a dark, cool room with a constant temperature level of +2 to +3 C and relative humidity of 87 to 91%.

If the temperature is higher than the specified values, the tubers will begin to “breathe” more actively, intensively consuming the starch they contain. Sprouts will begin to form en masse, and the potatoes themselves will quickly become deformed and dry out. At the same time, the tubers will be perfectly preserved for up to 2 months even at temperatures up to +12 C.

When the temperature drops below -1 C, the starch contained in the tubers begins to actively convert into sugar. As a result, various culinary dishes made from such potatoes will have a characteristic sweetish taste. Imagine sweet potato fries for a moment.

Moreover, unlike heavily sprouted and rotting potatoes, not very frozen potatoes are quite suitable for food (taking into account their taste characteristics). It is advisable to immediately place it in boiling water without defrosting.

I would also like to touch upon the issue of insulating balcony potatoes. Many housewives wrap it in old blankets, hoping that the potatoes will be warm under them. I immediately remember the common expression: “Who warms whom: a man’s fur coat or a man’s fur coat?” If there is no source of heat inside the thermal zone, then no blankets will save the potatoes from freezing. When “breathing”, potatoes release such negligible heat that it can simply not be taken into account in calculations.

Options for using frozen potatoes

Although potatoes freeze at -1.7 °C, tubers stored indoors at 0 °C for long periods also become slightly sweet. To restore the taste of such potatoes, it is enough to keep them in a darkened drawer in the kitchen for 10-14 days.

If the tubers have been in the cold for a long time, then after defrosting they quickly become lethargic and begin to rot. Therefore, they are defrosted only as needed.

Frozen potatoes, despite the unusual taste, are quite edible and nutritious. If there are domestic animals on the farm (pigs, cows, rabbits), potatoes can be fed to them.

In addition, there are two more options for using frozen tubers:

• chop and add to the mash. Frozen potatoes contain a lot of sugar, so they are suitable for making moonshine. True, the quality and smell of the drink leave much to be desired; it contains a lot of fusel oils, and in its unrefined form it is only suitable for external use;
• eat.

At what temperature do potatoes freeze in the ground. Using the cellar

Cellar storage is the most common method for preserving crops in small quantities. The quality of root crops in this case depends entirely on the temperature and humidity of a particular room. Therefore, it is better to find out these indicators in advance. The less they correspond to the optimal ones, the greater the losses will be. In this case you can:

• change the microclimate of the cellar;
• limited to a short shelf life.

Potato tubers, like any root vegetables, contain a large amount of moisture. In addition, under favorable conditions, they sprout very quickly, which is undesirable. Therefore, during long-term storage it is necessary to follow some rules:

• the room temperature should be in the range of 7−10°C;
• air humidity 90−95%;
• good ventilation;
• lack of light.

In such a favorable environment, it is convenient to store tubers in a crate, as well as in bags made of canvas or mesh. If the ambient temperature is subject to periodic drops, it is better to cover the potatoes with additional thermal insulation material: straw, cardboard boxes or an old blanket.

At what temperature you can store potatoes in the cellar does not depend on their variety. Any tubers at temperatures below 7 °C begin to lose their taste - they acquire a sweetish taste. The minimum temperature potatoes can withstand without significant loss of quality is 4 °C. A drop in temperature below results in loss of product. Too dry air will make the roots soft and wrinkled, and increased temperature and exposure to light will lead to greening and sprouting.

The green color of the peel means a high content of toxic substances. The so-called eyes from which the shoots grow contain solanine, which is toxic to humans. Therefore, sprouts should be removed in a timely manner, and abundantly sprouted tubers should not be eaten.

What to do if the temperature at the storage location drops below 0°C

The freezing temperature of potatoes is about -2...-3°C. At such values, starch is converted into sugar, and the taste of the crop deteriorates. To the question at what temperature do potatoes finally freeze, the answer is this: if the thermometer drops even lower, all the useful elements and vitamins in the vegetables are destroyed, the product finally deteriorates and becomes unfit for consumption.

Seed material is stored only at +3°C, otherwise the components that activate the growing season die.

Important! Late-ripening varieties are more resistant to low temperatures and can withstand long-term storage until spring. Early varieties completely lose their taste in winter.

On open balconies, polystyrene boxes with walls at least 5 cm thick are used for insulation. Such boxes with sealed lids serve as a thermos; they are regularly ventilated by covering the vegetables with a warm blanket.

Will potatoes freeze on the balcony? Potato storage conditions

To prevent potatoes from freezing or rotting, you need to know under what conditions this vegetable is stored. Let's focus on the main points.

1. Temperature conditions. First of all, you need to know at what degrees potatoes freeze. Any sub-zero temperature is unacceptable for him. The optimal storage temperature is 4°C. Deviations of 1-2°C are allowed, but no more. If the temperature drops below 2°C, the vegetable will freeze, which will affect not only the taste, but also the shelf life. The vegetable will begin to spoil faster. If the temperature rises above 6°C, the potatoes will begin to dry out. This will negatively affect its taste, and its appearance will become unattractive.
2. Humidity level. This indicator is no less important than air temperature. For storing potatoes, the optimal air humidity is 40%. As with the temperature regime, slight fluctuations in both directions are allowed here.
3. Air exchange. It is important to create storage conditions under which air will flow to the tubers. The room should be ventilated from time to time. Without air circulation, vegetables quickly rot.
4. Light. Any light is undesirable. When exposed to sunlight or light from an artificial source, the sides of the potatoes turn green. In this case, a certain substance is produced that makes the product harmful. You can't eat these potatoes. If electric light bulbs are used to heat the balcony, they should be covered with any material through which light does not penetrate. As an option, you can cover the potatoes with a dark cloth while heating.

Why is it worth stocking up on potatoes for the winter?

Storing potatoes on the balcony of a high-rise building is not at all a way to simply save money, since in winter any vegetables, including potatoes, are more expensive than during the period of their mass harvest. Rather, it is a way to save time and nerves.

There are situations when you want to cook some kind of potato dish, but there are none in the house.

Accordion of potatoes with lard or bacon.

If the store that sells fresh vegetables is far away or is not open 24 hours a day, then you will have to postpone your desires until tomorrow.

Therefore, the majority of our citizens prefer to stock up on potatoes, cabbage, carrots, and beets. Stocks are made, if not for the entire winter period, then at least for every month, so that the lack of necessary vegetables in the house does not take the housewife by surprise.

While onions and garlic can be kept in a warm place, it will not be possible to store carrots, cabbage or potatoes in the apartment.

After a fairly short time, they will wither and begin to sprout. Therefore, the best place to save them in an apartment is the balcony. But for this, appropriate conditions must be created in this space.